Family Game Night
by The Palmtop Tiger
Summary: What is the best way to introduce your girlfriend to your family, and friends, especially on Valentine's Day? An introduction over a fancy dinner? No. The answer is simple, only three words. Family game night. (AU. Falling Petals)


**A/N: **Hello readers! This one-shot is dedicated to Rubyobsessed-Rubywolf; thanks for requesting this pairing. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to write and I'm horrible at keeping deadlines, so actually getting out a one-shot on time is awesome! Enjoy! :D

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Family Game Night

**~0~**

"Hmmm… All right… All right! Don't rush me Ice Queen!" Thundered a recognizable male voice; it had certainly grown deeper with age, but an undeniable prepubescent inflection still lingered in his words. The sound traveled through the home's opened outer door, echoing throughout the streets of Vale's residential district. Two shadows, feminine in appearance, stood stock still in the doorway, their silent entrance unnoticed thanks to the man's timely outburst. One of them, a female dressed predominately in red, giggled softly at her old schoolmate's childish exclamation, knowing immediately which of her closest friends the cry originated from.

_Jaune hasn't changed in the slightest, that's a relief! He always gets like this when they play Remnant: The Game. I'm surprised Weiss let him participate at all, she never used to... Maybe the Ice Queen's frozen heart has thawed a little. Ha, yeah right. He probably whined and begged until she let him. _

Her thoughts were cut short by another shout, signaling the continuation of the game and Juane's move choice. If she knew Jaune at all, and Ruby certainly did, he would make made his move in the most dramatic fashion possible, donning a faux thoughtful expression, as if seriously considering his options, before pointing a finger at his intended target and yelling a battle cry… "Yang Xiao Long, prepare your kingdom for battle!"

This was hardly a surprise; Yang and Jaune always seemed to butt heads. But, his hand must have been spectacular to challenge her card shark of a sister. "Bring it on!" Replied Yang, voice practically oozing confidence. Her reaction was predictable and in her mind's eye Ruby could picture the blonde, balling her fist in an accepting gesture, ready for whatever her fellow blonde would throw at her.

"I deploy the Atlesian Air Fleet!" The slap of a card against wood followed Jaune's proud declaration. "And since Atlas is part of Mantle, my repair time is only one turn."

_Pyrrha must be helping him; Jaune was never one to be this tactically savvy. But, if I know my sister this is about the time she'll activate a…_

"Pretty sneaky, pretty boy, but you just activated my trap card! Giant Nevermore! If I roll a seven or higher, fatal feathers will slice your fleet in two!"

"But, if you roll a six or lower the Nevermore will turn on your own forces!" Jaune whined, desperately trying to dig himself out of his self-dug hole.

"Well that's just a chance I'm willing to take."

A slim hand snaked towards Ruby's, gently interlacing their fingers together and effectively distracting her from the game's commotion. She lifts her head, silver eyes meeting flaming irises, and gives her companion a smile.

"Don't be nervous, love; I'm sure tonight will go perfectly. Just relax and enjoy the rest of this Valentine's Day evening After all, it is a party. And, I confess that I am… intrigued by the noises emanating from your living room. You're friends seem to be quite lively."

Ruby smiles, giving her girlfriend's hand a loving squeeze." Thank you, Cinder. I'm not nervous about my friends meeting you, in fact it's the exact opposite; I'm worried about you meeting them. First impressions are extremely important, and don't get me wrong they are all great people, but I'm afraid of what they'll do. What embarrassing stories they'll tell. What lame jokes they'll crack. Or, most of all, what types of questions they'll ask." What if they ask something evasive? What if they manage to change your opinion of me? What if…"

A warm finger against her lips immediately cuts off the younger woman's rambling. "Shh… You are aware of my feelings, correct? Nothing anyone says, or does, will make me care for you any less. I promise."

Ruby's face immediately stretches into a wide, toothy grin, resembling a child as they wake up on Christmas morning. She opens her mouth to respond to the loving sentiment, but stops at the sound of her own name.

"Cut it out both of you!" Hissed the stern voice of a certain cat Faunus. "Ruby will be here any moment, and I will not have her walking in here only to find you two acting like children! She's even promised to bring the person she's been seeing, and I for one don't want them to think of us as freaks! And, another thing!"

"Am I interrupting something?" The raven-haired woman asked awkwardly, stepping into the light and effectively announcing her presence. "Hey guys, its been a while!"

"Rubes!" The blonde yells, sprinting towards her sister and wrapping the younger girl up in a bone-crushing crushing hug. "I've missed you so much! Ugh, I never see you anymore! I've grown into an old cat lady! No offense Blake…"

"Y-Yang as much as I love you, I'm going to need some air soon." The blonde quickly lets go of the red clothed woman, grinning widely as her little sister takes a desperate breath. "Thanks Yang, I really needed that. So, I know I promised to bring someone with me today, and while this is only our first Valentine's Day together I want you all to know how special she is to me. C'mon in Cinder, it's time to meet everyone!"

Red-heeled shoes click softly against the floor as the woman in question steps forward. And, as her date walks into the light Ruby immediately feels a familiar pleasant tingle travel down her spine, she freezes at the sight of the beautiful woman before her, though she isn't the only one. Jet-black hair frames a pale, delicate face and fiery yellow-orange eyes. Subtle lips curve into a smirk as she surveys the room, taking in the reactions of both her girlfriend and the rest of his schoolmates.

"Hello everyone." Purrs the older woman, using a hand to hold the skirt her modest dark-red minidress as she attempts a lazy sort of curtsy. "My name is Cinder, Cinder Fall. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ruby has told me so much about all of you."

For a moment no one moved, no one breathed, all stand transfixed by the hypnotic beauty standing before them. It is Yang who breaks the silence with a low wolf whistle, elbowing her sister playfully in the side. "Nice catch sis. Though I'm not sure how you convinced a lady like this to Fall for a little squirt like you."

Ruby groans, massaging her forehead in hopes of banishing the migraine she knew would come before the end of the party. The night was still young, and her sister was sure to have a gaggle of bad puns in store for them.

Jaune regained his senses next, slowly shifting to greet his socially awkward buddy with a side hug, effectively knocking the dice off the table in the process and onto the dimly lit residence floor.

"What have you done!" Yelled the lilac-eyed woman, obviously distressed by the sudden turn of events. "You've gone and cursed them now. Fortune doesn't favor fools, especially fools that drop the dice! I need those dice so that my Nevermore can squash your puny Atlesian Air Fleet!"

"Or, so that it can turn on you and wipe out all your troops in one fell swoop." Mutters the blonde man even as he stoops low to search for their missing game pieces. "Looks like I've successfully started this party off with a Yang."

The room's occupants immediately stiffen, necks slowly turning to view the frozen blonde woman, still kneeling on the floor. "What did you just say pretty boy?" She asks, tone shifting dangerously, eyes practically glowing red with anger. "How dare you steal my puns! Why I ought to…"

"Is this what your looking for?" Asked a silky voice, a single digit tapping the blonde on her shoulder to grab her wandering attention.

Red orbs immediately fade back to lilac as Yang's angry aura dissipated, drawing a relieved sigh for all onlookers, especially Juane. "Thanks Cinder, knowing Jaune we would have been looking all night. Do you and Rubes want to join in? I'm sure Blake would be more than willing to join forces with me and let you'll control the kingdom of Vale. Right Kitty cat?"

One purple ear flicks with annoyance at the casual use of her pet name, but the Faunus agrees nonetheless, pulling up a chair next to her girlfriend.

Cinder takes the previously occupied seat, patting her lap and teasingly motioning Ruby to come and sit. The younger girl immediately flushes a dark crimson, stuttering out an excuse before leaving the room to find one of their old folding chairs. Amused flaming eyes watch her girlfriend every step of the way, only shifting at the sound of a throat being cleared. She turns her head, lifting a black brow in the direction of the blonde woman. "Yes?"

"Cinder, I'm going to tell you straight out. I love Ruby more than anyone else in the world, no offense again Blake, and I can't stand the thought of someone hurting her. So I want to tell you, no, warn you, that if you even think about breaking my little sister's heart I will…"

"Beat me black and blue? Lock me in your basement until I say uncle? I hate to break this to you blondie, but I love your sister! I love her more than I ever thought was physically possible! I would never hurt her, and I will destroy anyone who tries. I can't guarantee that I will never make her sad, never make her cry, but I can guarantee a lifetime of happiness."

"And, if I refuse to give you my blessing? If I stand in the way of you two being together?"

One side of Cinder's mouth rises in a sly smile before she replies. "If you forbid us from being together then I will fight you, I will fight you with every fiber of my being. Have you ever read Romeo and Juliet? It was my favorite story as a child. I am willing to be Ruby's other half, her star crossed lover, if that is what it takes for us to be together!"

"Don't they both die in the end though…"

Pale flesh flushes a light pink, the only physical sign of Cinder's shaken composure. "That is not what I meant and you know it! I can assure you we would never even consider a double suicide!"

"Wait what?" Questions Ruby as she stumbles into the room, struggling to hold her metal folding chair tightly in her small arms. "Who's committing a double suicide?"

"It's nothing, love." Assures Cinder, the older woman pressing a chaste, reassuring kiss to her lover's lips, glaring at Yang over her shoulder. "Why don't you set up your chair so that you can teach me how to play this seemingly barbaric card game? Hmm?"

'S-sure." She stutters, quickly taking a seat and picking up Blake's discarded cards from the table. Immediately the silver-eyed woman's demeanor changes. Her slumped posture straightens, her normally cheerful face blanks, and her emotion-filled eyes harden with resolve. "Oh, and Blake. Since these were originally your cards it's only fair that you are not permitted to aide my sister for a few turns. You know sportsmanlike conduct and all."

The Faunus nods, her impassive expression not betraying her emotions on the matter in the slightest. If only her partner had the same level of discretion. "Damn it Ruby! You just ruined my trump card!"

Ruby shrugs playfully, shifting her cards so they are equally visible to her and her partner. "I just remembered that none of you have been formally introduced; so we're gonna need to do some quick introductions. Those two guarding Mistral are essentially my sisters, Yang and Blake. Pretty boy and his girlfriend over in Atlas are Jaune and Pyrrha."

"Hello again!" The redhead greets cheerfully, offering Cinder a small, friendly wave.

Ruby coughs, continuing her introductions as if nothing interrupted her. "The two not actively participating are Nora and Ren. They just recently got 'together-together' which we all saw coming a long time ago. They used to play as a team until Nora got smash happy with a toy hammer; though, to be fair she'd just seen Thor, and that movie makes people do crazy things. Finally, in Vacuo, we have the Ice Queen."

"Why does everyone keep calling me that?"

"More commonly known as Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company." Cinder finishes, her eyes narrowing dangerously at the woman in white. "I am… intimately familiar with their work. Ruby has told me a lot about you."

_Oh god, I should never have admitted I used to have a crush on Weiss… Please, play it cool Cinder. She doesn't know that the, socially awkward, teenage me totally used to creep on her! _

Flaming irises glare into confused icy pools, their stare down only broken by a well timed cough from Yang. "Alright, time to end this stalemate. You are going down Arc!" She exclaims, blowing delicately on the dice as if to sway lady luck in her favor, before throwing the twin cubes. All eyes are glued to the table, the cubes tossing and turning in slow motion, until they still. One side points upward with one while the other presents a six towards the heavens. Yang's cry of triumph drowns out Jaune's moan of despair, slightly muffled as he covers his face with his hands. "Nooooo! My fearless soldiers!"

The blonde grins, shrugging her shoulders unsympathetically. "Eh, most of them were probably androids."

Ruby glares at her sister. "Don't say that; androids are people too! What about Penny? She's a real girl too, not some mindless robot! You think just because she has nuts and bolts instead of squishy guts that makes her any less real than me!?"

Cinder starts, black brows furrowing at her girlfriend's passionate defense. Yang, seeing the opening, decides to pour salt into the older girl's open wound. "You two were always all over each other! It was always 'friend Ruby' this and 'friend Ruby' that. I almost started calling you two Nuts and Dolts. I never decided who would be which though."

Blake, not so gently, pinches the blonde's ear, pulling it slightly towards her so she can whisper something to her. Ruby strains her ears, trying to catch at least part of their dialogue, but could only catch the occasional word like "mature" or "impression" from the ninja-like Faunus. "Ouch, ouch Blake I get it!" Yang huffed, a bit embarrassed at how easily she was quieted. "Let's get on with this ladies, and Weiss."

"Hey!" Yelled both the heiress of Vacuo and the blonde king of Atlas.

"At least her turn is over…" Jaune mumbles half to Pyrrha and half to himself. "Goodbye my friends, you will be avenged."

"Not until I draw my rewards!" Yang interjects gleefully, her tone taking on a sort of singsongy quality. "Which are _double_ this round thanks to the Mistral Trade Route! Oh, and what's this? The Smugglers of Wind Path? I say, it looks like I'm taking two cards in my hand! Well Weiss it's your turn."

The heiress looks from her cards towards the board and its game pieces, then back towards her cards. Her usually intelligent eyes glance blankly at Yang as if the blonde had just asked her to jump out of a plane. " I have… absolutely no idea what's going on."

"Look it's easy! You're playing as Vacuo which means all Vacuo-based cards come with a bonus."

"That sounds dumb."

Yang scoots over to peer at Weiss' cards, shifting them around into a useful order. "See you've got Sandstorm, Desert Scavenge…"

Ruby had long stopped paying attention to the clueless heiress and her "helpful" benefactor. She laid her head on Cinder's shoulder, gladly absorbing some of her girlfriend's excess body heat. Red painted finger nails absentmindedly comb through black and red strands, eliciting a shiver of pleasure from the younger girl. She closes her eyes, quite content with their position, one thought passing through her mind before she drifts off…

_I'm so glad I met her…_

**~ ~0~ ~**

_(The city of Vale: Three and a half months ago, Thanksgiving Day)_

Ruby heaves a heavy sigh as she exits the small plane, holding a white-gloved hand up towards the sun, hoping to block some of its blinding afternoon rays. A white hat covers red tinged black hair, and aided the young woman in blocking any UV radiation from hitting the pale skin of her face. She shifts uncomfortably in her assigned uniform, feeling uncomfortable in such… extravagant attire and the attention it gathers.

A long-sleeved midnight blue coat hides everything but the crisp collar of a white undershirt. Sky blue trousers contrast with the coat, and are paired with shiny black dress shoes. White gloves and a matching peaked cap help hold the slightly unusual outfit together. Well, unusual in the eyes of a civilian, not so strange for a returning member of the Vale Marine Core.

She sighs again, a sudden urge to sleep hitting the woman full force. "Stupid jet lag…" She mutters, tone obviously annoyed as she stoops down to grab her luggage from the airline's circling conveyer belt.

The young Marine squares her shoulders and walks off at a clipped pace. The trip stateside was completely unplanned, unexpected to say the least. Her commander, Sergeant Major Ozpin, was notorious for pushing his soldiers to their breaking point and not giving them any time off… or was that his second in command, First Sergeant Glynda Goodwitch?

_Probably Sergeant Goodwitch, she's always been a bit of a witch…_

Ruby chuckles softly at her "Yang worthy" pun when something, or someone, lightly taps on her shoulder. The silver-eyed woman turns to face the irksome stranger, frown plastered on her face and eyebrow twitching in irritation. "Can I help…"

"Good evening solider." Purrs a silky voice. Its owner gives the Marine a small, almost businesslike smile, before gesturing towards the suitcase she carried. "I think you have something that belongs to me, and vise versa."

"I uh… Is this y-yours? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to take steal anything of yours. Not that I would steal anything in general, but I definitely wouldn't want to take anything that belongs to such a beautiful woman!" Ruby glances at the ground flustered, fiddling with the ends of her bangs as the stranger's burning eyes glance over her rapidly reddening face. "Sorry, I tend to ramble when I get nervous. Not that you make me nervous, you're just really pretty!" Her eyes widen to the size of dinner plates and she immediately slaps a gloved hand to her mouth trying to block any more word vomit from spewing forth.

Instead of calling the nearest mental institution and having them pick up the raving woman, which the stranger had every right to do at that point, she laughed it off. The sound was sweet, like the tinkling of bells. But, it also sounded raw, as if the woman before her hadn't genuinely laughed in a long while.

"I'm sorry soldier," Replied the mystery woman once her laughter subsided. "I just haven't met someone as… blunt as you in a long time. Would you care to grab a drink? I'm sure you have quite a menagerie of tales to tell."

Ruby immediately brightens, eager to accept the other woman's invitation, when something stopped her. Her face fell, all the eagerness she had harbored just moments before draining away. "I'm sorry. I will have to decline your invitation. My sister and her lover are at home, and I want to surprise them. It is Thanksgiving Day after all!"

The mysterious woman looked slightly crestfallen, if only for a moment, before her confidant smirk returned. "Alright, you've managed to avoid me this time, but eventually we'll get a drink together, mark my words."

That day the two did more than swap suitcases; they also swapped phone numbers.

The mysterious woman, later identified as Cinder Fall, was one of the most… interesting people the young Marine had ever met. A phone call from her was enough to keep the normally hyper girl seated in one place for hours at a time, a feat no one else had ever accomplished. Cinder quickly became Ruby's addiction, her drug. She became someone the younger girl could never get enough of.

They shared everything, from childhood shenanigans to personal hurdles. Cinder learned that Ruby was twenty-one, and had joined the military straight out of high school. She also learned that in those three years Ruby had managed to climb a bit in the ranks, from Private to Corporal, and perfect her previously nonexistent skills as a world-class sniper, earning her the nickname "the Red Reaper" from her enemies.

Ruby learned that Cinder was an ex-convict, put away when she was nineteen for trafficking massive amounts of Dust over Atlas' borders. She'd been out for a little less than five years, making her only three years Ruby's senior, and was desperately trying to build up a reputation for herself, a more legal one.

The two started seeing each other, all to aware of Ruby's limited time stateside, though the knowledge didn't make their parting any easier. The lovers struggled to keep in touch, through letters mostly, but so many other factors got in the way. A few times Ruby's squadron would change camps, forgetting to leave a new address for letters, or the postal workers would misplace one of Cinder's precious replies. But, they somehow made it work, despite all their challenges.

A month later, when Christmas came around, Ruby was granted another generous trip home, and the two stuck to each other like newlyweds. They were prepared to announce their relationship to Yang on Christmas day, to introduce Cinder as a new part of their dysfunctional family, when the dolt caught a cold. For the rest Ruby's home stay she locked herself in the confines of their small basement, unwilling to expose anyone else to her infection.

It was a lonely Christmas for both women as they bade each other goodbye for a second time.

**~ ~0~ ~**

"Never again…" The sniper whispers, nuzzling further into the warm crook of her girlfriend's neck.

"What was that, love?" Questions the older woman, pausing her playful ministrations to glance at her lover. "You looked tired, yet content, so I didn't want to wake you. I can tell, you know, the bags under your eyes tell me how poorly you've been sleeping. Were there no nightmares this time?"

Ruby smiles fondly, her delicate lashes tickling Cinder's neck as silver eyes blink away the evidence of her nap. "I was dreaming of something good, of when we first met. Do you remember it?"

"Like it was yesterday."

"Hmm… yes, I suppose it does seem like that. But, at the same time it feels like an eternity has gone by…" Her rare irises shift to glance at Weiss and Yang, the two still deep in conversation. "Have they been plotting away this entire time?"

"Unfortunately, they have. I tried to intervene a few times, but your sister was quite… insistent on aiding her new protégé."

Yang's conclusion to the tutorial halted the lovers' brief conversation. "You're just three moves away from conquering Remnant! Just know that I will not forgive this declaration of war."

"Cinder," Ruby starts, voice dropping in volume until it can barely pass for a whisper. "This game is a bit stupid, but I would kinda like to win. Have any ideas?"

"Don't worry, love, I have big plans for this small army of yours. All I ask for is… a little cooperation."

Ruby nods, turning to appraise the scene as Weiss' overjoyed, psychotic laughter fills the room. "Y-yes! Fear the almighty power of my forces! Cower as they pillage your homes and weep as they take your children from your very arms!"

"Trap card." Cinder declares, hiding a catlike grin behind the card in question. "Your armies have been destroyed."

Weiss slumps in her chair, tearing up as she gazes on the fallen pieces of her previously invincible army. "I hate this game of emotions we play."

"Stay strong, Snow Angel!" Jaune interjects, "We'll make it through this together!"

"Shut up! Don't touch me; don't you have a girlfriend to comfort you?"

"Alright Ruby, Cinder, it's your team's turn."

Ruby holds her meager hand up, giving blazing eyes better access to their contents. To be honest, she doesn't really understand Remnant: The Game, but it makes Yang happy to play so she has always gone along with it, even if she usually ends up losing. Suddenly, Cinder stands, arm sweeping across the table and effectively destroying the armies of Vacuo, Mistral, and Atlas in one fell swoop.

"What was that for hot head!" Yells Yang, the angry fire once more seeping into her irises.

"I use the White Fang, sacrificing half of my treasury, to hire them as additional mercenaries. By doing so I easily outnumber all of your armies and effectively conquer Remnant."

"But I still have this! Trap ca-"

"Did I forget to mention that I also use Night vision? A card which partners with any Faunus related summons, like my White Fang, and allows them to see any possible threats, like your trap card, and nullify them. Checkmate."

The room falls into silence, each occupant staring slack jawed at the empress in their midst.

"The reason Yang has won up until now has been that her opponents just assumed she was fated for victory, when she's really taken fate into her own hands and made her ambitions into reality. How about I put it in terms of philosophy. It's not about overpowering an enemy. It's about taking away what power they have. And we did, in time."

Nora snickers from her spot in the corner, her voice filling the room for the first time that evening. "Ruby, who knew your girlfriend was such a nerd!"

Cinder raises a perfectly manicured brow, offering the redhead an amused smile. "I prefer to be referred to as an _intellectual_." With a dramatic flourish she grabs Ruby' hand, pulling the smaller woman up in a surprising feat of strength, and proceeds to tug her towards the door.

Once outside the sniper twists her hand from her lover's grip, eyes glazed with confusion as they search Cider's face for answers. "What was that about? I've never known you to be so 'rambunctious'. I think that's the right word here… sounds like something you would say."

"Well, I believe we accomplished what we came here for, and after that dramatic display they'll be scratching their heads long after we sneak out." Fiery eyes darken noticeably as her finger traces pink, slightly parted lips. "And, it's Valentine's Day. Is it a crime to want the one I love all to myself?"

Ruby's pale complexion darkens to a deep crimson and she shyly shakes her head. "N-no I suppose that's a-alright."

"Good, because I was going to whisk you away with or without your permission." Cinder winks, eyes falling shut as she slowly kisses her girlfriend. "I love you, Ruby Rose." She whispers against the younger girl's lips.

"And I love you, Cinder Fall."

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**A/N: **That's all folks! Also, for anyone who is following _The Princess and the Pauper _I will be updating next Friday, hopefully. My workload has gotten a bit crazy so I'll be updating bi-weekly from now on. On the bright side chapters will be twice the size! Once again, happy Valentine's Day to everyone!

_\- The Palmtop Tiger_


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